Hello...long time. Time to catch up.

 Ey up! It's been a while since I last posted. I've now reached the end of my three week exhibition in Derby. Was a privilege to be asked and welcomed during the time by 'Furthest From The Sea'. An organisation that I will be involved with further I hope. despite the fact that I only sold three prints during my time there, I've enjoyed being in such a wonderfully historic and beautiful building.

I've posted below a series of six minipics produced over the last week or two, they're not great photos, but I hope you get the idea...they are each 10x6.5cm. and once framed , I'll have them  for sale in my upcoming exhibition at one of my favourite venues, the Arkwright's Mill in Cromford Derbyshire. I now have a few days to prepare for hanging my work next Friday.



Two finished minipix and Rainbow Warrior progress.

Time seems to fly by between posts here these days. I do apologise. At time of writing, I'm at the start of a three week solo exhibition in my home town of Derby. Furthest From The Sea are an arts organisation representing Musicians, poets, comedians and artists in the Derby area. Based inside the Victorian Market Hall in the city centre, there are studio facilities and a performance/ exhibition area. Something which has been lacking in our city.

There is so much more to write about FFTS, but suffice it to say, I'm incredibly grateful to them for inviting me to show my work....lovely people! Anyway, in anticipation of the show, I've produced a couple of new minipix...here's the finished Crow and a new piece finished yesterday imaginatively entitled 'Blue Tree Cold'. In my mind, I'm producing one of these each day, in reality I've not. Still...there will be more in the coming weeks and I'm not short of ideas.

 

Below is the progress on Rainbow Warrior, today I worked on the smoke from the train, the sky and the lighthouse on the island. the colour reproduction here is not good, in reality it's a lot warmer. I'll be away for a couple of days, but back in the gallery on Saturday, I'll try to include a series of photos showing the gallery then.

Hello again...it's me!

 I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted here...Wirksworth Festival all done and now I'm preparing for a new exhibition which I'll be hanging a week today. I therefore have to produce some additional pieces to sell. Despite the fact that they sell fairly well, I usually grow weary of producing minipics. So after a pretty dismal tree and stars ( see bottom)...I've decided to try a few more familiar subjects echoing my larger pieces. This crow although not very colourful at the moment will be full colour with a suitably mysterious background. hopefully now I'll have more impetuous to  create more,

The final five. No more minipix!

It does happen...and it happens on a regular basis...what am i talking about? Dissatisfaction is what! you'd think with someone like me who is gifted/cursed with almost endless patience would never get dissatisfied. but you'd be wrong, I'm actually fed up with these minipics. Which is a bit of a problem because I've discovered over the last month that they're quite popular and sell well! I see I'm going to have to do more at some point, but to be honest, they don't reflect or ignite the passion I feel for my bigger more complex symbolic pieces. but i have to face facts....no one is going to pay thousands of pounds for those, and I need to to earn money. So minipics it is! I think you'll have to wait quiet some time before I return to these little beggers!

Strange Rib Tree - finished. Sad news today.

Strange Rib Tree.(2013)

10 x 7 cm.

Sometimes sadness, bereavement come along unexpectedly...and stamp their coldness all over your day. Today was such a day. working on the finishing touches to my new minipic, a letter was delivered telling me that an old very good friend of the family had recently died. Anna (far right in the photo below taken at my wedding in 1984) was  a very dear friend. Both Jan and I separately and together had visited Anna in her home town of Southampton and then later when she moved and then married Peter to live on the Isle of Wight. Anna would also visit us in Derby and became friends with many of our friends...many who can be seen in the photo. 

We'd remained in touch over the years, and always thought we'd meet up again...but that is now not to be.It leaves me feeling helpless in many ways, regretful of all the times I could have written...visited...all the forgotten Christmas and Birthday cards never sent.

I'll never forget my lovely friend...I'll never forget.

Finished Minipic ~3

I've now completed three minpics...this is good...I hope I'll be able to match that number or even better it before the Festival next weekend. It's strange this business...when i say 'business' I don't feel like i'm 'in business'...I'm doing what come naturally to me.In fact, and you'll here most artists state, that "If I don't create ...I'll explode!" It's a need..a desire...a compulsion...it is the very reason some of us live. but we have to live...and that means money....and that's something I have very little of. So these lovely ( yes! I call my own work 'lovely' because it is!) little 'minipics' are a means to an end. they are for the purpose of selling because people like them...I like them, otherwise I wouldn't do them!

My kids think I'm OK...they're not embarrassed to tell their friends their Dad is an artist...because artists are cool!...Artists are dangerous people...they think differently...they dress strangely and they see things others often don't. I don't feel dangerous... don't think I think differently....ok , so i dress a little bit differently, I admit. but i don't feel cool.

But i do feel incredibly blessed to be able to do what I do....

Finished Willington minipic # 1.

Well...here we go again! I'm working on yet another series of my 'minipix' I'm in the fortunate position whereby my recent stock of work has diminished due to having been sold! in view of the fact that I'm exhibiting again in two weeks at the Willington Arts festival, I need some more pieces to sell! These minipix when framed look wonderful and at £50 - £100 approx are a great affordable way to own a piece of my original and very collectible  Hyperpointillist artwork!

 

So I need to press on over the next few days and see what comes out...I'll return to Rainbow Warrior at the weekend!

Preparing for exhibition.

 I've now finished the mounting and framing of all my minipix pieces produced this year for sale. I know i'm not prolific, but 20 pieces is about as good as it gets for my technique! I have around 100 other older pieces to chose from as accompaniment , some of which i've opted to offer for sale this year. All my black and white pieces dating back over the past 3 years will not be in the exhibition, this is mainly due to the fact that I can't afford to have them framed...i will mount a couple and might show them if I can wrap them in celophane...I'll see. to be honest, I'm finding some of their subject matter a little at odds with the way i'm thinking these days...they are part of my development however and any understanding of 'Me the Artist ' needs to take them into consideration.

Misty forest -Development and finshed. Last of the Minipix!

 I'm sorry i've not been posting for a couple of days...I've had a rather annoying cold which has now thankfully gone! Almost back to normal i am. So here for your interest is the start to finish development of my final Minipic of the current series. I shall be concentrating on the start of a new large scale piece and preparations for a forthcoming exhibition.

 

Misty Forest - (2013)

10 x 7 cm.

Dandelion Misty Train - finished

Dandelion Misty Train (2013)

10x7 cm.

Smokey Train 2 - finished

Smokey Train2 (2013)

10 x 7 cm

Smokey Train 2 - Business opportunity...can you help?

I still enjoy putting my work here for you. My audience here however has remained fairly static for a long time. I also run a fan page over on face book which has a much bigger reach...it's also growing each week. my work is also available to buy from that site.

 

I'm currently producing work to sell as originals...I have an exhibition coming up in April and another one in May...my aim is to have a good stock of work to sell....which of course they never do! But one has to try. i'm am forever frustrated by my lack of marketing skills. If i'm perfectly honest, it doesn't excite me...I realise that to make a successful business, one has to give all ones energy and time into developing it. I am primarily an artist who loves the conception and creation of art. I'm also a Husband and Dad who's devotion to his family means that my wife could not do what she does (doing the job she loves and coincidentally earning the wages that put bread on our table) If i were to dedicate my time to exhibitions and selling, I would spend a lot of time away from home. I'd not only neglect my children's needs but the domestic needs aswell.I'd also probably do even less art than I do now.

what i'd really like...what i really dream and pray for is either an agency...or an agent who will help me to develop a market. I'm absolutely sure that just around the corner lies a lucrative market for my work. i hold fast to my claim that i'm the only person in the UK producing the kind of work i do...unless anyone can step up and contradict me ( which of course i'd be pleased to have happen!!!) I remain unique...and in the art world, that is something that is very rare these days.

So I know it's a long shot, but if you or anyone else you know has the time/experience and desire to join me in business and help me, i'd love to hear your ideas. i'm sure I can ask anything else or more. I can't afford to pay anyone, but a join business partnership between us and also possibly with other artists might be an idea. Have a think and let me know.

Smokey Train - finished

Smokey Train (2013)

10 x 7 cm.

Moon train - finished.

Moon Train (2013)

14 x 10 cm.

 

Well....it's taken long enough to finish this minipic...it's actually rather stark and cold, the colours are quite nice especially when you see them for real in the daylight. I'm currently spoilt for choice as to what I'm going to go forward with next...I have one or two very solid ideas for larger pieces, but am tempted if i'm honest to press on producing these smaller pieces which i intend to sell as originals at my up coming exhibitions. I'll have a rest tomorrow and see what comes to mind.



Moon Train - 2

Worked mainly on the sky today...must try to be less busy in my life...and find more time to work!

Moon Train 1

I'm working on this mini pix which I've decided to call 'Moon Train'...again I'm producing small format work specifically to sell as originals. misty...glowing ...ethereal subjects seem to attract attention well, and since I love steam trains..bridges...twiggy trees and moon light...this seemed the perfect use of those ingredients.

You'll have to forgive any delays in posting over the next few days. I've been having serious problems with my ageing lap top, which today has finally entered it's last days. I'm working on my son's machine which sadly has a badly cracked screen...(that's it's only problem...the rest has hardly been used!)

Cold Trees - finished.

Cold Trees. ( 2013)

14 x 10 cm.

Cold trees - 4

Not very long to go on this piece now...there's more colour to introduce to the buildings and sky on the horizon, then the lower part which is mainly snow....

Cold Trees - 3

The upper quarter of the picture is now more or less finished...I'm gradually moving down adding detail and shading as I go. I'm having a day off working on this piece tomorrow because I'm going to give the kitchen a very thorough spring clean...it will probably take all day !

Cold trees - 2

Managed a whole days work on Cold Trees today. Work on the complicated tracery of branches and twigs is fun...the temptation is to draw each twig, but at this scale, it's enough to settle for giving the impression. I still find it surprising that a few applications of yellow ochre and red in the right place can almost create the feeling of direct sunlight. For those of you interested , I'll be making this piece available to buy via my Face book fan page later in the week.